Stationary chemical-mixing fire-extinguisher system



lJ. W. ENRI'GHT.

sTATIoNARY CHEMICAL MIXING FIRE EXTINGUISIIER SYSTEM.

APPLICATION FILED MAR. l0, i919.

Patented Sept. 21, 1920.

fthe" features of srArIoNARY vCHEMICAL'-.MfIxI ne FIRELEXTINGUISHER SYSTEM,

To aZ whom 'it concern." z

Be it known that I, JOHN W. ENRIGHT,a

citizen of the United States of America, re-

siding at New Orleans, in the parish of Orleans and State of'Louisiana, have invented certain new Vand Yuseful' Improvements in Stationary Chemical-Mixing Fire- -Exting'uisher Systems, of which the followingis a specication. Y Y

This invention relates to stationary chemical mixing re extinguisher systems.

. The invention relates to a system which is devoid of moving mechanical parts Vandoperates automatically under' fire emergency Vconditions and theY objects. of the' invention areV to vinsure the prompt f.and certain automatic operation of the system and tov insure a yregular and continuous supply of'acidto theV alkaline solution', thereby providing .for the dischargeof substantially the entire volume of alkaline solution'at arsubs'tantially uniform pressure. l

An embodiment of theinvention is illustrated in the accompanying drawing 'wherein the gu're is a diagrammatic sectional view of a re extinguisher system in which the' invention are incorporated. v

.1 The system includesl the usual tank: 1 for an alkaline solution and a risery 2`ext`ending fromsaid .tank throughout the -height of the building,'said riser being connected to the usual leaders or laterals 3which carry -sprinkler heads `or "distributing valves 4.vr

i The system also includes an Vacid recep tacle 5 which is preferably arranged in an extension pf the tank'l, located at thel up per side thereof. The receptaclel 5 incloses an acid discharge pipe7 having at its upper end a gooseneck discharge Vterminal 8 projecting externally of said receptacle and discharging into an acid reservoir 9. The

reservoir 9 discharges into the'tank v1j by a pipe 10 in'which is arranged a mercury seal 11 whose function is to preventthe acid from passing into the tank until a predeterminedquantity, necessary to overcome the i mercury of the seal, shall have been trapped in the reservoir 9, such quantity being suiii-f cient to insure the prompt and effective `initial'discharge of thefire extinguishing liquid at theA opensprinkler head or distributing valve.' `5 j The discharge of acid from?V the receptacle 5 lis effected bylpneumatic pressure which `is transmitted to the upper portion of said Specification of Letters Patent. .i Patente `Septlgl; .1920. i Application mea Maren 10,1919. lserial No. 281,691'.

TENT,

receptacle by a pipe 12. -The'pipe12 isarr and haslat its vessel 16 from whichrises a vertical tube 17, whose lower en d dips into .themercury in the vessel 16. VAbove the vessel 16 the tube 17 1s connected-by a branch pipe`18 to a reservoir19 fora vliquidmedium, in this instance mercury, a manually operated valve i 20 being arranged in the pipe 18.- After the tank 1 has beenfilled with Athe Y requisite quantity. of alkaline solution'and mercury lhas been placed inthe seal llnand in the vessel 16 and reservoir 19, the valve 2O .being closed, the system, z'. 6. the tank andthe distributing system," is charged in any ,suitable waywithair or gas under the pressuredesired, e. g., twentypounds, and

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such pressure is effective'to displace-the mercury in the vessel 16, e., toforce la column ,ofmercuryinto' -the. tube 17v to ja point above the pipe l18. r The valve 20 is ythereupon opened andthe system is ready sure with which the system isf charged is transmitted by the pipes 13-12 to the interior of the-receptacle 5. f y

When a sprinkler hea'd'or distributing for operation, it Vbeing notedfthat the presi valve 4 is opened under fire emergency conlditions, theV pneumatic pressure fin the system of course starts to fall with thek result that the mercuryfcolumn in the tube 17 falls below theY pipe .'18 andthe mercury inthe reservoir 19 flows through the tube 17 to the receptacle 16 f and overflowing the' latter passesl by the pipe-15 to the 'pipe 13, .in which, and the pipe. 12, it forms agseal betweenthe interior of the receptacle 5"and kthe interiorof the'tank.- By virtue of such seal any further reduction of the pneumatic ypressure consequent tothe escapev of theV air or gas at the open' valve 4 isnot transmitted to the receptacle, `and. thepressure being thus unbalanced, itgfollows thatthe greater j pressure in-thereceptacle 5 will cause an f initial dischargefof acid therefrom, suflicient in quantity to lill the reservoir 9 and over- :come the seal 11'. Thehigh pressure gener- Y vated consequent to the mixingofthe chemipressure Vfrom said tank to pair of pipes forming a U and one 'of which cals passes by the pipe 7 to theV receptacle 5 Y inwhich it is trapped and becomes eective to eject a further quantity'or'acidl as soon as the pressure in the tank starts to fall. In thisY Way the operation of the system is maintained continuously and at a substantially uniform rate of pressure untilthe' re# ceptacle 'is practically exhausted of litsacid contents. n

-It" wil1.be noted that'the system vdoes not goA into operation until a predetermined degree of pneumatic pressure has been discharged therefrom, the degree of pressure at which the system operates being determined by the position at Awhich the reservoir 19 connects tothe tube 17 this connection may be made at a, height' suitable to allow the pneumatic pressure to ,fall Vto two poundsV beforethe mercury column vin tube 17 falls -below the pipe 18, thus allowing a considerable range in the degree of pressure, in .order to. provide against 'accidental operation of the` system. through leakage .of the `pneumatic pressures. Any approvedlow -pressure alarm maybe used to'signify when the pneumatic pressure has :fallenv by leakage to near the point ofl operation, and the system may then be pumped up again.

Having fully described my invention, I claimay y 1. In achemical mixing ire 'extinguisher isystem, a tank 'for' an alkaline solution, an

acid receptacle, a vdischarge pipe inclosed within said receptacle and discharging at its upper end into said tank, said Vdischarge pipe also transmitting the developed high said receptacle, a

is connected at its upper end to said receptacle, a distributing system'adapted to norj mally contain an elastic Vfluid medium, a

-mercury'vessel, a tube projecting therefrom,

a receptacle for a liquid medium connected to said tube and an outletV connection between said mercury vessel and the other pipe of said pair, the fiuid medium in the distributing system normally maintaining ay mercury column in said'tube whichprevents` Athe flow of the liquid medium. from the receptacle therefor.

. 2. In a chemical mixing fire extinguisher Y system, atank for an Valkaline solution, a Y vdistributing system connected to said tank and normally containing an elastic fluid medium, a vessel containing mercury under the normal control `of said' fluid medium, a pair of pipes forming Va U, an outlet connection between. theY mercury containing vessel and one 'of the pipes, a receptacle fora liquid medium which passes to said pipes under fireY emergency conditions, an acid Vreceptacle to which the other of said pipes i-s connected at its upper end, a discharge Y pipe. inclosed within said acid receptacle and discharging-at its 'upper end into said said mercury containing vessel 4column ofmercury is normally malntained fromV said liquid tank, said discharge pipe also transmitting the developed high pressure from said tank to said acid receptacle and a tube extending from; said mercury containingyessel and 1n 4which a column of mercury 'is normally maintained by said fluid medium, and an outlet connection from said liquidV medium medium, a vessel containing mercury under 1 the normal Acontrol of said liuid medium, ak

pair of pipes formi'ngay U, Van outlet connection between the mercury Ycontaining vessel and one of the pipes, a` receptacle for a under tirev emergency conditions, an` acld is connectedl at itsupper end, a `discharge pipe inclosed within said acid receptacle,

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liquid medium which passes'to. said? pipes l 1^ 'v receptacle to which-the other vof said Ipipes Y said discharge pipe also'transmitting the developed high pressure rom'said tank to saidacid receptacle, a tube extending `from and in'wbich by said -iuid medium, anV outlet connectin' medium receptacle to said tube below the normal mercury level inthe latter'and an acid reservoirl into which the acid passes -fromsaid discharge pipe, said reservoir havingv a 4; A-,fire extinguisher vsystem* includingfa mercury sealed outlet 4to Y maintaining elastic iuidunder' pressure, 'a 1 piping system-connected with one element, a distributing valve in" saidpipi'ng system,

' means operative under fire emergency f con ditions for automatically`4 sealing the 4communication between said elementsy thereby to trap a. portion Vof the elasticfiuid under pressure V1n one of said elements, andmeans fsetinfoperation by -for causing the operation ofjthe ire extinguishing agent supply means whenthe 4 the trapped elastic fluid remaining elasti'czluid, by its escape through said valve,is reduced in Vpressure below the :trapped fluid. I l p .5.v Astationary. chemical mixing fire extinguishing system includingia solution tank i i and an acidreceptacle, both adapted to contain elasticiuid under pressure, a'normally Y `open means of communication between the elastic Huid-maintaining spaces of said tank Yand receptacle, means operative under fire f emergency conditions for reducing thepressure of the-elastic fluid in said tank, means operative on the' reduction of pressure inY said tank for. sealing the communication between said tank and said receptacle, thereby totrap a portion of the elastic fluid in said receptacle, and a pipe for discharging the acid from said receptacle into said tank and through which the acid is initially forced by the fluid trapped in said freceptacle.

6. In a stationary chemical lire extinguisher system, a solution tank and an acid receptacle, both adapted to: contain elastic fluid under pressure, a. normally opened communication lbetween the elastic fluid of said tank and receptacle, means operative under fire emergency conditions for reducing the pressure of the elastic fluid in said tank, means operative on the reduction of pressure 15 in said tank for sealing said communication between the tank and receptacle, `thereby to VVthrough which the high pressure gases pass `to said receptacle.

first trap a portion of the elastic fluidl in said .receptacle for initiating the discharge f' of acid therefrom for generating high pressure gases, and thereafterfor trapping the` developed high pressure gases in said receptacle, and a pipe for discharging acid' from said receptacle yto said tank and Intestimony whereof I have hereunto setmy hand in presence of two subscribing Wit nesses.

JOHN W. ENRIGHT. Witnesses: i y WILLIAM J. EVANS, v

L. J. Cook. 

